Scavenger's Daughter

Facts and Information about the methods, devices and instruments of compressing tortures used during the Medieval period of the Middle Ages

Scavenger's DaughterThe Medieval period of the Middle Ages was violent, and blood thirsty. In these barbarous times the cruel and pitiless torturers were induced to inflict the horrors of tortures, including the Scavenger's Daughter, on prisoners by compressing. Torture methods, devices and instruments were used to inflict the deliberate, systematic, cruel and wanton infliction of physical and mental suffering. There were no laws or rules to protect the treatment of prisoners who faced torture, such as the Scavenger's Daughter by compressing. Torture was seen as a totally legitimate means for justice to extract confessions, obtain the names of accomplices, obtain testimonies or confessions.

Method of inflicting torture by the Scavenger's DaughterDifferent types of torture were used depending on the victim's crime and social status. There were also different tortures used according to the customs of each country. But the Scavengers Daughter was a device which was invented in England. This device was designed to have the opposite effect to that of the rack. The body was compressed as opposed to being stretched. This rack was invented by the Lieutenant of the Tower of London during the reign of King Henry VIII of England (1509-1547). The name of the Lieutenant of the Tower of London during this period was Leonard Skevington (aka Leonard Skeffington). A derivation of his name led to the device he initiated, or was the father of - the Scavengers Daughter although it was first referred to as Skeffington's Irons. The device consisted of one single iron bar that connected iron shackles closing round the victim's hands, feet and neck. This rack positioned the head to the knees of the victim in a sitting position. It compressed the body as to force the blood from the nose and ears.

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